The success of the play-to-earn game Axie Infinity has brought blockchain technology to the attention of traditional game publishers. According to a recent developer survey, the next few months should be full of blockchain game projects.
Blockchain and NFT soon in gaming?
It is very likely that the traditional video game industry will offer blockchain games very soon. In fact, according to a study conducted by Opinium on behalf of blockchain technology company Stratis, 58% of American and British video game publishers are starting to integrate blockchain technology into their development. In addition, 48% of the same publishers surveyed are incorporating NFT into their games. The study was conducted on a panel of 197 publishers.
Furthermore, of the publishers not yet using these technologies, more than 70% said they were thinking about using them to develop new games, with 56% planning to do so by the end of 2022. Also, 64% of participants said yes when asked if blockchain technology would become mainstream in the video game industry within the next 2 years.
Stratis CEO Chris Trew made the purpose of this study clear:
“We commissioned this research to solidify what we were already assuming: that blockchain and NFTs are the future of video games.”
On the developer side, the play-to-earn model seems to be the most appealing, with 46% of the publishers surveyed considering moving towards it. Finally, more than half of the 197 developers admit that blockchain technology allows for more interesting and innovative gameplay for the player.
Blockchain games, a success already in play (to earn) mode
In addition, the advent of blockchain games presents an opportunity for independent game publishers to emerge and thus compete with the big companies in the video game industry. Indeed, the latter, like Ubisoft or Electronic Arts, have not yet developed a real blockchain game. These games present a real opportunity for independent publishers to make their mark and be major players in the gaming industry of tomorrow.
In fact, Chris Trew stated that:
“With well-known platforms, such as Epic, hosting blockchain-based games and NFTs, we certainly expect AAA studios to launch titles incorporating these technologies in the coming years. But there are so many independent game developers who will get there first.”
Also, following in the footsteps of Axie Infinity, there are other play-to-earn games worth keeping an eye on. Fans of card games, such as Hearthstone or Magic: The Gathering, will be able to try their hand at blockchain card game trading with Gods Unchained, while space-themed sci-fi fans can try their hand at CryptoMines.
CryptoMines has proven to be a very lucrative game, as evidenced by the price of the token collected in the game, the ETERNAL. In fact, as of the writing of this article the price of the ETERNAL has skyrocketed, with a growth of over 10,000% in 90 days. Currently, one ETERNAL is trading at a price of $191.
Other giants in the video game industry have chosen to turn their backs on blockchain technology and NFTs. Such is the case of Steam, whose ban on blockchain games on its platform shows its reluctance to invest in these innovative technologies.
